State Department Questioned Over Benghazi Attack

The State department on Thursday (December 20) admitted that lapses in security at the diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya led to the attack that killed four Americans including Ambassador Chris Stevens.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee questioned Deputy Secretary of State William Burns and Thomas Nides about the State Department's role in the attacks.

"We did not do a good enough job as the report highlights in trying to connect the dots between that troubling pattern even in the absence of an immediate technical threat," Burns told lawmakers.

Burns also addressed the issue of misinformation that was distributed in the hours following the attacks by administration officials.

"I'm convinced Senator, that my colleagues in the administration who addressed this issue, the intelligence professionals on whom they relied operated in good faith. Their focus was on being as factual as possible, and their focus was on action," Burns added.

The hearings come in the wake of an independent report released Tuesday [December 18] that laid the blame for the September 11 attack on “systemic failures and leadership and management deficiencies".

In further fallout, Eric Boswell, assistant secretary for diplomatic security, has resigned, according to the State Department. Three other officials have been relieved of their duties, as well.